Hail Frozen Four and the NCAA
I was fortunate enough to take in the Frozen Final Four this week, courtesy of a friend who had tickets to the game. No ordinary event, this game showcased two great college hockey teams. My daughter and I were thrilled to find ourselves 14 rows from the glass at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Anyone who knows this family know that hockey courses through our blood. We all play, we all officiate and I’ve been a coach for 7 years. You could say I’ve been waiting for this event for quite some time.
As much as I’d like to sit here and talk about hockey all day, what I wanted to do was talk about the things I saw in the arena - marketing! Yes, plenty of it. Some clever company made folding hats that resembled old timey hockey helmets. At first, my teenage daughter thought they looked silly, but at the end of the game, she was scrounging about trying to get herself one because she knew few friends would have one. Very clever. Memorabilia was everywhere and for every fan, no one was left out. Pulling for Michigan, who was knocked out days before? No problem. There were fan “experience” areas and the place was full of excitement, even though the event was a “dry” one because of NCAA rules. REAL excitement, right down to the fighting songs from the mini marching bands. It was exceptional experience and probably one of the best sporting events I’ve ever been to.
So, you might ask, “What about the marketing again?” Oh yeah, that. One wonderful thing I noticed up on the big scoreboard - the NCAA asking guests to go to their website to give their opinion. They wanted to know what fans like me wanted to see in future games. Imagine that, the NCAA marketing? Wow. I told them what I thought, I was delighted they asked. It was rather long, but thorough and I enjoyed the event enough to answer.
The next time you think your business is not one that ordinarily markets, think about this move by the NCAA. Marketing is for everyone, that means you, too. I bet a lot of fans gave their feedback and I bet the next Frozen Four will be even better.
